Scientists Create Mushroom-Based Batteries Which Could Power Future Smartphones

Scientists have created batteries that increase in capacity over time - using the skin of Portobello mushrooms.

As well as being especially efficient, the batteries also have low production costs and also produce less toxic waste than traditional battery cells.

With an anticipated increase in batteries needed for electric vehicles and smart devices, a more energy efficient battery source could be a major discovery.

Mushrooms were chosen as previous research has shown that they are highly porous meaning that they have lots of small spaces for liquid and air to pass through. This is important for the storage and transfer of energy that contributes towards better battery performance.

Diagram showing how mushrooms are turned into a material for battery anodes.

What’s more, mushrooms have a high potassium salt concentration, allowing for increased electrolyte-active material, which gradually leads to a great battery capacity.

Tests at UCR showed that by heating the skin a Portobello mushroom to 1,100°C, a carbon nano ribbon structure could be created, enabling more energy to be stored in a smaller space.

Students working on the project at the University of California Riverside suggested that these mushroom-based batteries could be used in smartphones in future to prolong the time between charges.